Consumer Reports strongly supports H. 78, the Massachusetts Consumer Data Privacy Act (MCDPA), which would create some of the most substantive state level privacy protections in the nation.
The legislation is based on CR and EPIC’s model state privacy bill and takes a strong data minimization approach to controlling companies’ data practices and protects consumers’ privacy by default. The bill would ban outright the sale and use of sensitive data for targeted advertising. Sensitive data includes information revealing consumers’ precise geolocation, race, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, as well as information about minors. The legislation also includes strong enforcement provisions, including a private right of action, allowing consumers to hold companies accountable for violations.
Consumer Reports also supports similar committee legislation, S.45/S.29/H.104, the Massachusetts Data Privacy Act (MDPA), which would accomplish many of the same objectives. We also urge the legislature to advance H.86/S.197, the Location Shield Act, so that it can consider banning the sale of precise geolocation data in the event that it is unable to move forward with comprehensive legislation that bans the sale of the broader category of sensitive data.
To read the full letter, please see the attached PDF.